The present invention relates to NMR imaging of living subjects. More specifically, it relates to agents which can be used to enhance NMR contrast in such subjects.
Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) has been used for many years as a means of chemical analysis. NMR is a type of radio frequency spectroscopy which is based upon small energy differences between electrically charged atomic nuclei which are spinning parallel or antiparallel to an applied magnetic field. When radio frequency energy is applied to the sample, these spinning atomic nuclei change spin states and in doing so, absorb some of the radio frequency energy. Nuclei in slightly different chemical environments within the same molecule change spin state at slightly different energies and this produces characteristic absorptions or resonances which help identify the molecular structure.
NMR has more recently been used in examinations of the human body. Other methods such as computerized axial tomography (CAT scanning) have been used in the past for this purpose, and still are. However, because NMR does not use ionizing radiation, it is believed to have some safety advantages over CAT. Thus, NMR is an advantageous method of producing cross-sectional images of the human body.
The quality of the images obtained from an NMR scan are based on two properties: the proton densities of the various tissues and differences in proton relaxation rates. The proton density of tissues cannot be readily altered. Proton relaxation rates can be adjusted by adding a paramagnetic relaxation agent, more commonly known as a "contrast agent." Contrast agents enhance the contrast in NMR images between magnetically similar but histologically dissimilar tissues.
Gadolinium has been tested as a contrast agent in the past because it has a large magnetic moment, which efficiently relaxes magnetic nuclei. Gadolinium's strong paramagnetic properties are the result of its seven unpaired electrons.
One drawback of gadolinium as a contrast agent is its toxicity to animals. One possible remedy for this problem is to incorporate gadolinium in a compound that would pass through the body and be excreted without releasing toxic gadolinium ions. Unfortunately, the rare earth elements, such as gadolinium, do not form stable covalent bonds with organic molecules, so such molecules can decompose in vivo and release the toxic ions. Complexes of gadolinium might overcome this problem.
There is a need for effective contrast agents which avoid the toxicity problems inherent in using gadolinium.